Contoured curler pad

ABSTRACT

A rectangular curler cushion made of resilient foam-like material is provided with a longitudinally extending arcuate depression within which the conventional hair curler may be received to assist the wearer in obtaining more comfort during the time the curlers are being worn.

United States Patent Simmons 51 Aug. 22, .1972

[ 1 CONTOURED CURLER PAD [72] Inventor: Patricia L. Simmons, Akron, Ohio [73] Assignee: P & L Sales Incorporated [22] Filed: June 9, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 151,445

[52] US. Cl. ..132/9, 132/36.l A [51] Int. Cl. ..A45d 6/18 [58] Field of Search.l32/9, 39, 40 R, 36.1 R, 36.1 A,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,969,300 8/1934 Eberhard ..132/36.1 B

2,106,326 1/1938 McFadden ..l32/39 3,358,697 12/1967 Blundell ..l32/9 3,358,698 12/1967 Blanchard 132/40 3,595,246 7/1971 Rusnak 132/9 Primary Examiner-Louis G. Mancene Assistant Examiner-Jay N. Eskovitz Attorney-Freeman & Taylor ABSTRACT A rectangular curler cushion made of resilient foamlike material is provided with a longitudinally extending arcuate depression within which the conventional hair curler may be received to assist the wearer in 0btaining more comfort during the time the curlers are being worn.

4 Clains, 4 Drawing Figures Patented Aug. 22, 1972 3,685,524

Q FIG. I

INVENTOR. PATRICIA L. SIMMONS BY s ATTORNEYS CONTOURED CURLER PAD BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION For a considerable time past, women have used implements of varying types in an effort to impart beauty to their hair during the periods of public appearance.

Among the devices in question were cylindrical tubetypes around which the users hair was wound and then pinned in place so as to curl the hair while the user was sleeping, for example.

It is a requisite of such items that they be rigid in nature and this rigid construction has, of necessity, led to varying degrees of discomfort to the user.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART The most pertinent patent is believed to be the Zimmerman US. Pat. No. 3,498,301 involving a curler pad that is made of a foam-like material provided with a hooked pile backing that serves to secure the laminated pad with respect to the users hair.

While a pad of the type shown in the aforesaid Zimmerman patent would provide some degree of comfort to the user, the same has certain disadvantages as follows.

First, being a plain rectangular pad devoid of any contour, the same is unable to assist in positioning the curlers in place and is not capable of resisting transverse movement of the curlers with respect to the pad.

Second, the use of thehooked pile of Velcro type backing will catch and split the hair being held with the result that this hair, already subject to tension by being wound on the curlers, is subject to further detrimental effects.

Third, because of the fact that a cement base is used to bond the backing to the pad, the same is not susceptible to repeated washing for sterilization purposes since this would serve to deteriorate the bond and cause failure of the pad.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It has been discovered that if a resilient foam-like pad is provided with a longitudinally extending arcuate recess that corresponds. to the curler diameter being used, that then and in that event, improved results will be obtained with respect to not only securing the curler in place, but retaining the same in place during the period of use.

It has been further found that providing such a con tour permits easier attachment of curler to pad with a thin central area being easily compressed so as to be engaged by a bobby pin or like securing instrument.

Further, it has been found that if the outer longitudinal edges are further contoured to be arcuate in nature, that an improved comfort result will be obtained by the user in view of the fact that the hair will not be positioned over an edge under stress, but will be rather over an arcuate surface which will not add to the tension being applied thereto.

Finally, and by making the member unitary in nature, the same is susceptible to repeated washings because of its inherent porosity with the result that improved sanitary conditions will exist with respect to such pads.

Finally, and by virtue of the insulation properties inherent with such material, the same may be used in periods where heat is applied to insulated otherwise sensitive skin from the heat that is being applied to the curler.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent upon a reading of the following brief specification, considered and interpreted in view of the accompanying drawings.

OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the improved curler pad positioned beneath the curlers being worn on the head of an individual whose hair is in the process of being curled.

FIG. 2'is a perspective view of the improved curler P FIG. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 4--4 of FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1, the improved curler pads, generally indicated by the numeral 10, areshown positioned beneath a corresponding number of hair curlers 11,11 with the hair H having been wound around each curler and held in place thereto by the usual pick members 12,12. If desired, one or more bobby pins 13 may be employed to secure the roller in place with respect to each curler pad 10. With reference to each curler pad 10, the same is shown best in FIGURES 2, 3, and 4 of the drawings and the same consists of a unitary pad made up of a foam-like material which may be polystyrene foam from rubber or any plastic or synthetic foam material which is noted for its pressure of shock-absorbing qualities. Polystyrene foam is selected as a preferred embodiment in view of its porosity which permits quick drying following washing and in view of its high-insulating properties which protect the scalp of the user from any heat that may be applied during treatment.

It has been previously indicated that each pad 10 is essentially contoured to achieve specific improved results and to this end, each pad 10 includes a longitudinally extending, centrally located arcuate recess 15 with the radius R of each recess corresponding approximately to the radius of the curler 11 so that the recess 15 will act as a contoured seat within which the curlers may be received as shown in FIG. 1.

In addition to the just described arcuate recess 15, the opposed longitudinal sides of each pad 10 are provided with arcuate surfaces 16 and 17 that extend longitudinally of the pad so as to eliminate any strain being placed on the hair that is received over such surfaces.

It is also to be noted from FIG. 4 that the longitudinal ends of the surfaces 16 and 17 are also contoured as at 16a, 16b and 17a, 17b with the idea here being to make a unit that is devoid of edges that may damage the users hair which is already under extreme pressure.

In use or operation, the hair is started on the roller and wound down to a point within one inch of the scalp. The cushion is then placed against the scalp and the hair wound roller is further wounded down into the cushion bed defined by the arcuate recess 15. The hair the hair.

While polystyrene foam has been set forth as a desirable components, it is to be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to this specific form. Any shock-absorbing rubbery material may be employed as the pad material with similar results.

Similarly, while it is preferred that the arcuate recess correspond to the diameter of the roller being used, it is believed apparent that this does not necessarily need to be exactly the case as any form of recess provided longitudinally will serve to seat the roller and thus the recess could be V-shaped as well as circular as shown in the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Regarding size, rollers of varying diameters in length exist in the marketplace, with diameters ranging from as small as one-half inch to as large as two inches. It is preferred that the curler pad be proportioned to fit the roller being employed therewith and thus a variation in size is well within the scope of the invention.

As an example, a curler pad 3 inches in length, 1%

inches in 'width and 1% inches in thickness is provided with an approximately 1 inchdiameter recess along its longitudinal center to provide a reduced thickness in Accordingly, modifications of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit hereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A hair curler pad adapted to support a hair curler;

in closely spaced relationship to the head of the user, comprising; 4 I

A. a thin substantially rectangular pad of resilient material having 1. front and rear opposed faces 2. opposed side surfaces and 3. opposed longitudinal ends; r

B. said front face being dividedinto two outer and one inner section extending substantially throughout the length of said pad;

C. said inner section being substantially concave in cross section;

D. said outer sections being substantially convex in cross section and merging into said inner section forming an undulating cross-sectional configuration;

2. The device of claim 1 further characterized by the with arcuate contours that merge into the arcuate contours of said opposed side surfaces and said outer sections of said top surface. 

1. A hair curler pad adapted to support a hair curler in closely spaced relationship to the head of the user, comprising; A. a thin substantially rectangular pad of resilient material having
 1. front and rear opposed faces
 2. opposed side surfaces and
 3. opposed longitudinal ends; B. said front face being divided into two outer and one inner section extending substantially throughout the length of said pad; C. said inner section being substantially concave in cross section; D. said outer sections being substantially convex in cross section and merging into said inner section forming an undulating cross-sectional configuration.
 2. opposed side surfaces and
 2. The device of claim 1 further characterized by the fact that said side surfaces interconnect said top and bottom surface and are arcuate in cross section.
 3. The device of claim 1 further characterized by the fact that said pad has a high degree of porosity as regards water.
 3. opposed longitudinal ends; B. said front face being divided into two outer and one inner section extending substantially throughout the length of said pad; C. said inner section being substantially concave in cross section; D. said outer sections being substantially convex in cross section and merging into said inner section forming an undulating cross-sectional configuration.
 4. The device of claim 1 further characterized by the fact that the longitudinal ends of said pad is provided with arcuate contours that merge into the arcuate contours of said opposed side surfaces and said outer sections of said top surface. 